View of Profiling Needs of X Private University's Students in Jakarta Using McClelland's Theory Approach

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Profiling Needs of X Private University’s Students in Jakarta Using McClelland's Theory Approach

Ayu Dwi Nindyati Pancasila University

Abstract. Most students want a job after college, and the desire arises from the needs that move humans to do something. This study uses the quantitative-descriptive method to determine the need profile based on McClelland’s Theory in X Private University’s students in Jakarta. Participants in this study (N=139) were students aged 18-41 years and spread across 12 study programs. This research uses the instrument developed by McClelland that is separated into three needs, such as the need for achievement (10 items), the need for affiliation (10 items), and the need for power (10 items). The data obtained is analyzed using compare means technique to see the average needs based on groups of respondents. The results show that overall, the needs' profile was dominated in order by the need for affiliation, achievement, and power. This finding can use to make an appropriate intervention according to the dominance of needs in students to increase student motivation in exploring their abilities.

Keywords: Need for Achievement; Need for Affiliation; Need for Power; Profiling

Abstrak. Sebagian besar mahasiswa menginginkan pekerjaan setelah kuliah, dan keinginan tersebut muncul dari kebutuhan yang menggerakkan manusia untuk melakukan sesuatu. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kuantitatif-deskriptif untuk menentukan profil kebutuhan berdasarkan Teori McClelland pada mahasiswa X Universitas Swasta di Jakarta. Partisipan dalam penelitian ini (N=139) adalah mahasiswa berusia 18-41 tahun dan tersebar di 12 program studi. Alat ukur yang digunakan adalah kuesioner yang dikembangkan oleh McClelland dan terbagi ked ala 3 kebutuhan, yaitu: kebutuhan berprestasi (10 item), kebutuhan berafiliasi (10 item) dan kebutuhan berkuasa (10 item). Data yang diperoleh dalam penelitian ini dianalisis menggunakan teknik compare means untuk melihat rata-rata kebutuhan berdasarkan kelompok responden. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa secara keseluruhan profil kebutuhan yang ditemukan didominasi oleh profile dengan urutan need for affiliation, need for achievement, dan need for power. Temuan ini dapat digunakan untuk melakukan intervensi yang tepat sesuai dengan dominasi kebutuhan pada mahasiswa untuk meningkatkan motivasi mahasiswa dalam mengeksplorasi kemampuannya.

Kata kunci: Need for Achievement; Need for Affiliation; Need for Power; Profiling

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Article history:

Received 9 December 2022 Received in revised 8 March 2023 Accepted 6 May 2023

Available online 27 May 2023

Introduction

When asked what students' hopes are after graduation, most might answer that they want a decent job. Data from Kumparan (2019) support this statement. It is shown that 60% of graduates of several prominent universities in Indonesia, such as the Bandung Institute of Technology, Gadjah Mada University, University of Indonesia, and Padjadjaran University, have careers in private companies, BUMN or civil servants, 5% are entrepreneurs, while only 15% who are continuing their studies (Kumparan, 2019).

The description above shows that an in-depth analysis of students' intentions to work is exciting. According to Bandura, the intention is a person's determination to carry out certain activities or produce certain situations and circumstances in the future. Then, Ajzen (1991; 1988), in the Theory of Planned Behavior, explains that intention is a variable or aspect closest to behavior and can bridge human attitudes so that they can appear as behavior. Based on these two definitions, it can be concluded that intention is the aspect or variable closest to behavior. By knowing this intention, we can predict the behavior someone will take.

Based on the intention description, this research will describe whether work intention is the closest factor that causes a person to decide to work that basic human needs can form. This is based on the idea that the essential thing that drives humans is needs. One of the psychology figures studying the theory of needs is David McClelland, with the theory of three needs developed based on Murray's (1938) needs theory. In his theory, McClelland explained that individual behavior is strongly influenced by three primary needs that dominate the individual: the need for achievement, affiliation, and power.

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The need for achievement is explained as the need to achieve something or achievement by showing persistent effort. Individuals with the dominance of this need generally have the characteristics of never giving up on achieving goals, have a sense of responsibility, enjoy challenging tasks, require feedback on their work, and have high innovative power. Among entrepreneurs, it can trigger cunning behavior for goal achievement. These characteristics mean that individuals with a high need for achievement will tend to be successful in a job with considerable autonomy in completing it. They will tend to be less successful when in a task where success depends on the presence of other people. In addition, individuals with a high need for achievement tend to bring up creative activities if they are in a particular environment. Thus, increasing the need for achievement could increase economic growth in certain groups (McClelland, 1961; McClelland, Atkinson, Clark, & Lowell, 1953).

Furthermore, the need for affiliation is explained by McClelland (1987) as a need for friendship related to the desire to ensure, maintain or prioritize the effectiveness of relationships with individuals or groups. This desire for affiliation arises when individuals want to be liked, be accepted as friends, or want to be forgiven by other individuals. Individuals with a high need of affiliation score indicate that the concerned person has expectations about warmth and close relationships with others. In addition, individuals with a high need for affiliation do something that provides affiliative incentives, maintain social relations that have been formed, easily pause in doing their work, refuse to engage in conflict and compete, and tend to conform to norms and other people's expectations. Employees with a high need for affiliation will show good work performance in an environment that provides personal support and a supervisor who can create cooperation and provide positive feedback.

The third need discussed by McClelland is the need for power. McClelland (Steers, 1996) defines the need for power as an individual's desire to control and influence other individuals. McClelland (1987) stated that individuals with high

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scores on the need for power tend to be associated with assertive behavior.

Meanwhile, Murray and Cattell (McClelland, 1987) emphasized that the need for power is assumed to be the urge to act aggressively and dominate. Characteristics of individuals with a domination of the need for power are explained by McClelland (1987) as individuals who are assertive but tend to be aggressive, like to be in a climate of high competition, dare to take risks to complete their tasks, tend to have a bad self- image, choose the type of work that can influence other individuals. Then in completing the task, oriented towards the prestige that will be obtained and prioritizes relationships that are limited by superiors and subordinates.

Research related to student needs has been carried out in several countries.

For example, Corpuz, Peña, and Baconguis (2022), in their research on students of the Management study program at a state university in Cavite, Philippines, explained that there is a fundamental correlation between student motivation and academic performance. This study explains that the need for achievement, affiliation, and power dominates this motivation. These findings inform lecturers to carry out learning interventions, especially when it involves healthy competitive activities, good interpersonal relationships, and collaboration. The profile needs of students involved in learning activities with a particular design must be considered considering that each need has its characteristics.

Furthermore, Scheidemann, Gasteiger, and Puca (2022) researched high school students and found that students needing affiliation were more correlated with achievement on word tasks. Students with a need for achievement correlate with tasks related to task performance related to demonstrating or applying the knowledge they have acquired.

Reviewing several previous studies (Steers & Braunstein, 1976 (Steers, Porter

& Bigley, 1996); Swensons, 2000; Corpuz, Peña, and Baconguis, 2022; and Scheidemann, Gasteiger, and Puca, 2022), researchers concluded that the profile needs of each individual are different. This profile difference will also lead to differences in the behavior shown. This might happen because each need underlies

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why someone shows that behavior. Knowing the profiles of the three types of needs will provide additional information on implementing the right interventions to spur achievement or better performance for lecturers, managers, and organizational managers. Therefore, this research wants to profile the needs of x private university students in Jakarta using McClelland's theory approach.

Method

This research was conducted using a quantitative-descriptive method to explain the profile needs of active students at X private universities in Jakarta. The sample of this research is 139 students. Data was collected using a measurement tool developed by David McClelland based on items developed by Murray (McClelland, 1987). This instrument consists of 30 items which are divided into three parts, namely need for achievement (10 items), need for affiliation (10 items), and need for power (10 items) with seven response answers (very appropriate to very inappropriate with a value of one to seven).

The analysis results of measuring instruments indicate that the three instruments show good internal accuracy and meet the psychometric requirements of instruments to be used in research (Taniredja & Mustafidah, 2011). Furthermore, the researcher conducted an internal consistency analysis to determine the instrument's reliability using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The detail Cronbach's alpha coefficient is the need for achievement ( 0.749), need for affiliation ( 0.843), and need for power ( 0.786).

Data analysis technique in this study was carried out using descriptive statistical techniques, namely analysis of the compare means on the results of the respondents' answers (Morissan, 2012). The demographic description of the respondents can be seen in the table on table one.

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Table 1.

Demographic description of the research participants

Aspect Amount Perecentage (%)

Gender

Department

Ages

Semester

Male Female

Actuarial science English

Pharmacy Physiotherapy Science of nutrition

Occupational Health & Safety Midwifery

Nursing Social welfare Management Psychology

Engineering Environment Medical Laboratory Engineering

17 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 27 29 30 32 34 37 41 2 4 6 8

33 106

5 2 20 25

7 3 7 18

2 3 8 2 37

1 14 47 34 12 11 7 2 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 72 44 13 10

23,7%

76,3%

3,6%

1,4%

14,4%

17,98%

5,03%

2,2%

5,03%

12,95%

1,4%

5,03%

5,8%

1,4%

26,62%

0,7%

10,07%

33,8%

24,5%

8,6%

7,9%

5,04%

1,4%

2,9%

1,4%

0,7%

51,79%

31,66%

9,35%

7,19%

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Ethnic group

Ambon Bali Batak Betawi Bugis Flores Jawa Madura Melayu Minang Palembang Serawai Sunda

1 2 24 6

2 1 63

1 3 9 3 1 23

0,7%

1,4%

4,32%

17,27%

1,4%

0,7%

45,32%

0,7%

5,03%

6,47%

5,03%

0,7%

16,55%

Result

This study aims to determine the need profile based on McClelland's theory in X Private University's students in Jakarta. To answer this goal, the researcher conducted data analysis with a descriptive statistics technique called compare means.

Data analysis is presented in Tables 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The first analysis in Table 2 is based on the general data from the participants.

Table 2.

Mean and standard deviation of need for achievement, need for affiliation, and need of power in general

Aspect Mean SD

Need for Achievement Need for Affiliation

Need for Power

31,04 35,99 30,01

4,86 7,07 6,53

Table 2 explains that, generally, students show dominance by need affiliation, followed by the need for achievements, and the least dominant is the need for power.

This general average analysis explains that the need for affiliation dominates students.

Furthermore, the researcher did a specific analysis based on respondents' criteria with statistical data analysis, called compare means. Table 3 represents the results of the profile need analysis based on gender.

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Table 3.

Need for achievement, need for affiliation, and need for power profile based on participant’s gender

Gender Variable Mean SD

Female

Male

Need for achievement Need for affiliation Need for power Need for achievement Need for affiliation Need for power

31,39 36,14 29,31 29,94 35,48 32,24

5,143 7,499 5,566 3,657 5,563 5,953

Table 3 gives information that the profile needs of males and females show a similar pattern: the dominant need for affiliation, then the need for achievements, and the last need for power. This result also shows us that the pattern that appears in participants based on gender aligns with the general results.

Next, researchers create a needs profile based on aspects of the participant's study program. There are 13 study programs registered in this study, and the researcher analyses the average value of every need served in Table 4.

Table 4.

Need for achievement, affiliation, and power profile based on participant’s study program.

Study Program Variable Mean SD

Actuarial (n= 5)

English (n= 2)

Pharmacy (n= 20)

Need for Power Need for Achievement

Need for Affiliation Need for Power Need for Achievement

Need for Affiliation Need for Power

30,00 32,20 27,80 18,00 36,00 26,00 31,65 38,25 28,85

2,236 6,017 89,408

8,485 5,657 2,828 3,87 6,103 6,029

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Physiotherapy (n= 25)

Science of

nutrition (n= 7)

Occupational Health

& Safety (n= 3) Midwifery (n= 7)

Nursing (n= 18)

Social welfare (n= 2)

Management (n= 3)

Psychology (n = 8)

Engineering

Environment (n = 2)

Medical Laboratory Engineering (n= 37)

Need for Affiliation Need for Power

30,48 35,28 30,00 31,00 34,43 30,29 35,33 39,67 33,67 32,57 35,43 30,71 32,22 36,50 32,44 30,5 26,00 20,00 33,33 41,00 37,00 31,25 36,63 33,13 35,5 32,00

30 30,3 35,81 28,78

4,302 5,083 7,027 3,916 8,923 5,794 4,509 9,292 9,074 4,077 6,754 6,211 5,52 8,89 8,11 0,7 11,31

2,83 2,52 3,00 6,00 5,04 4,2 3,6 2,12 1,41 7,07 5,30 6,85 6,7

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Table 4 describes that there are different patterns related to a need profile. Three possible patterns were identified based on the analysis based on the study program.

The patterns are:

a. Domination of need for affiliation, need for achievement, and need for power;

there is in the study program Actuarial, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Nutrition, Occupational Health & Safety, Midwifery, and Technique Laboratory Medical (seven study programs).

b. Domination of the need for affiliation, need for power, and need for achievement; there is in the study program Nursing, English, Psychology, and Management (four study programs)

c. Domination of need for achievement, need for affiliation, and need for power;

there is in the study program Social Welfare and Engineering Environment (two study programs)

Next, aspects underlying the needs profile respondent is by semester. Participants in this study are in semesters 2, 4, 6, and 8 on moment data collection. The results analysis can be seen in Table 5 below.

Table 5.

Need for achievement, need for affiliation, and need for power profile based on participant’s semester.

Semester Variable Mean SD

Two (2)

Four (4)

Six (6)

Eight (8)

Need for Affiliation

31,64 36,71 29,83 31,11 35,41 31,31 30,62 35,00 31,31 27,00 34,6

4,83 7,02 5,98 4,38 7,16 6,57 4,91 6,22 8,99 5,72 7,99

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Need for Power 28,5 6,53

Table 5 explains that the needs profile based on the respondent's semesters shows the same pattern as those based on the study program.

Figure 1. Profile analysis based on the respondent's semester

Furthermore, profile analysis of the need for achievement, the need for affiliation, and the need for power based on age is conducted with the dominating age of the participants of this study, that is, age 19 (n=47), age 20 (n=34), age 18 (n=14), age 21 (n=12), and age 22 (n = 11). The profile analysis of the needs based on age can be seen in picture 2.

Figure 2. Profile analysis based on the respondent's age

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Figure 2 shows an average need achievement that is big in young age compared to old age, with need affiliation.

Next, based on ethnic group nation, profile analysis is carried out on the need for achievement, affiliation, and power to the three most prominent ethnic group nations in this study, Java, Betawi, and Sundanese (see Table 1.)—generated profiles served in the form chart in figure 3.

Figure 3. Profile analysis based on the respondent's ethnic group

Figure 3 explains that participants show different profile needs between the ethnic group. In general, based on ethnic group nations, it can be seen that the dominance of the need is the need for affiliation.

Discussion

This study determines the need profile based on McClelland's theory in X Private University's students in Jakarta. The first result analysis based on the general data from the participants shows that the need for affiliation dominates students.

According to McClelland (1987) and Munandar (2001), individuals with a predominance of a need for affiliation show behavior driven by the need to socialize.

This need to be accepted by others underlies how people think and behave. These individuals generally will readily conform to the expectations and norms of others

Jawa Betawi Sunda

need Achievement 30.68 31.54 30.7

need Afiliation 36.22 38 36.09

need Power 28.71 29.38 31.61

05 1015 2025 3035 40

Mean

Need Profile Based on Etnic

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because they choose to compromise, avoid conflict, and cooperate with others. In simple terms, for individuals with a predominance of a need for affiliation, the primary impulse to act is an effort to affiliate or interact with others. McClelland also explains that individuals with a high need for affiliation tend to pause when completing duty and ask others to help them to complete the duty.

Based on McClelland's (1987) description, the researcher could understand that students generally tend not to finish their duty independently. Students tend to expect help from their friends to finish their job. Students are preferably given group assignments for settlement duty rather than independent duty. If the students could complete the given assignment well, it would help increase their academic performance.

This general data analysis of this research shows the differences from the previous research conducted by Nindyati, A.D. (2004) with the employees as a research sample. Nindyati said that the need for achievement dominates employees, followed by the need for power, and the last was the need for affiliation. The nature of sample was part of the marketer team of a private company in Jakarta called beauty advisor. As part of the marketer, the beauty advisor shows the need to achieve more and compete with others. And this was one of the reasons why affiliation was the smallest need in their profile.

Next, the second analysis of students' profiles needs to be based on gender, showing that the needs of men and women have a similar pattern: the dominant need for affiliation, then the need for achievements, and last is the need for power. This finding explains that even with age, the need profile patterns emerge aligned with the pattern that appears on participants thoroughly.

The uniqueness of this study is the difference in average rating, though it still needs further deep analysis to see if the difference appears significant. Then, the average score of need for achievement looks higher in women, which answers why female students show better performance in learning. The same thing is also seen in the need for affiliation, which explains why female students are more flexible and

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create harmonious relationships than male students. Another interesting finding is those male students have a higher score of need for power than female students. This finding explains why male students tend to show encouragement to direct and operative control for a group. In other words, male students are willing to lead and dominate others explicitly. In conveying opinion, an individual with a dominant need for power tends to be persuasive, open, and intimidating.

Third, analysis was conducted based on the study program of the students.

There are three pattern needs students who have explained the part before. These patterns help parties make development programs to motivate students with detailed pattern profile needs. Knowing the profile needs can help parties do interventions at a time so efficient and successful intervention can predict.

Fourth, students' need analysis based on the semester shows that in the 8th semester, students tend to have a low score of need for achievement compared to other semesters. This means students in the higher semester are not pushed by competition spirit like during the early semester. Students with higher semesters usually face more complex tasks, so they will show more oriented effort to progress with their friends.

Next, students need analysis conducted based on age shows that young students have a higher average score of need for achievement and affiliation than older students. The exciting thing is that the average score of the need for power is higher in older students. This thing exists based on nurturing experience that courage shows expression in dominating and directing others.

Further, an analysis of students' needs conducts based on the dominant ethnic group nation of the participant. Results analysis show that the dominance of the need is the need for affiliation. This, regardless of Indonesian culture nationally described as collective culture (Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010). Hofstede, Hofstede, and Minkov explain that individuals in a collective culture country generally develop behavior that puts forward harmonious relations with other people. This study

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context supports that students from ethnic groups anywhere show the dominance of need affiliation compared to two other needs.

Conclusion

This research describes the need profile based on McClelland's theory of students at private University X in Jakarta. The results of this study can be concluded as follows: First, overall, the student need profile is dominated by the need for affiliation, followed by the need for achievement, and the final is the need for power.

Second, specifically, when the needs profile classification is based on gender, age, study program, semester, and ethnic group nation, there are varying results that could conclude into the three patterns following. The first pattern is the domination of the need for affiliation, need for achievement, and need for power. Second, the domination of the need for affiliation, power, and achievement. Third, the domination of the need for achievement, affiliation, and power.

Suggestion

All of the findings in this study can be utilized to develop a better quality of students in X private university. Based on this study's findings, the researcher suggests that every study program management in X private university should develop an intervention to motivate students to show their best performance. Next, the researcher suggests a further study to see the difference in the needs based on various demographic aspects to see if there are significant differences with explanatory design in further study. Then, further study can develop more scientific broad related to collective culture by picturing the profile needs (need affiliation) associated with collective society in further study.

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